5 things to know about Juneteenth

Wednesday

June 19 is Juneteenth, a holiday with roots in Texas celebrating the emancipation of slaves at the end of the Civil War. Now, Juneteenth celebrations can be found all across the country.

Here are five things to know about Juneteenth.

1. Juneteenth marks the day the last slaves in the U.S. were freed.

While President Abraham Lincoln enacted the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, freeing slaves in the rebelling southern states, it wasn't effective on its own. The Union didn't have enough forces to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation everywhere and the news was either hidden or traveled slowly, especially in Texas.

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger and Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War had ended and all slaves were free.

The 13th Amendment, officially and legally freeing all slaves, was ratified a few months later on Dec. 6, 1865

2. "Juneteenth" is a blend of "June" and "nineteenth."

The holiday is also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day.

3. Texas was the first state to mark Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1980.

Today, 45 states and Washington, D.C. officially recognize the holiday.

4. Celebrations started in 1866.

Early celebrations included a prayer service, stories, food and games. In 1872, a group of former slaves pooled $800 purchased 10 acres of land in Houston, Texas for their Juneteenth celebration and named it Emancipation Park. It is still a center of celebration today.

Today, people celebrate Juneteenth with parades, festivals, barbecues and picnics.

5. Red food is a big part of Juneteenth.

Since the beginnings of the holiday, celebrations often included red food and drink, as the color represented resilience. It's not uncommon to find food and drink like strawberry soda, red velvet cake, watermelon and hot links at a Juneteenth celebration today.